14 Percent Salary Rise For Thai Lawmakers Draws Flak

[webfact]

JUMP IN SALARY

14% rise for lawmakers draws flak

By Piyanart Srivalo,

Naya Jittanon,

Budsarakham Sinlapalavan

The Nation

Hike is first since February 2005: panel

The Cabinet decision yesterday to increase salaries for lawmakers by about 14 per cent has attracted widespread criticism.

Social-media enthusiasts and online critics aired their views and left messages against the unpopular move. Many said the performance of most MPs did not warrant a salary hike. They also pointed to the frequent collapse of House meetings due to the lack of a quorum.

The National Salary Committee's proposal for increases of salaries for the Speakers and Deputy Speakers of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the leader of the opposition, MPs, senators and bureaucrats got the green light from the Cabinet at its weekly meeting, said Deputy Government Spokesman Watchara Kannikar.

The pay rise for senators, bureaucrats and members of the administrative branch - including the prime minister - will be effective from April 1, while that for MPs will come into effect after the next general election, he said.

The salary panel's report submitted to the Cabinet explained that the lawmakers should get a pay rise of about 14 per cent because they had not had a salary increase since February 2005, although members of the administrative branch had benefited from rises in 2005 and 2007. The latter will get a pay rise of only 5 per cent.

With the upcoming increase, the Parliament president, who is chief of the legislative branch, will get a monthly salary of Bt125,590, which is the same as that of the prime minister.

Members of the Cabinet debated the matter for more than half an hour, with most of them expressing support for the proposal, according to a Government House source.

Some ministers, however, proposed that because of strong social opposition, the salary increase should benefit the Parliament president only and that there should be no hike for MPs. This idea was opposed by Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who cited the fact that there had been no pay rises for MPs since 2005.

Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij proposed that the pay rise for MPs become effective for the new group of lawmakers taking office after next year's general election.

Senator Rosana Tositrakul from Bangkok expressed her disagreement with the pay increase for lawmakers. She also offered not to accept the extra amount in her salary.

"Private companies often base salary increases on their performance. This Parliament caused a political crisis that led to burning of the capital city. Do these people deserve the award? I want to see my salary increased like other people do, but the public interest must come first," she said.

Financial burden

Senator Ruangkrai Leekitwattana, who has often campaigned against abuse of power, also said he disagreed with parliamentarians getting a pay rise. However, he did not make it clear whether he would decline the increase.

The Cabinet yesterday again put the brakes on a plan proposed by Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul to increase salaries for members of tambon administrative organisations around the country, said deputy government spokesman Supachai Jaisamut. The pay rise was expected to put a financial burden on the local administrations' budgets.

The matter is likely to be resubmitted to the Cabinet after the Interior Ministry has consulted the Finance Ministry and the Budget Bureau.

Also yesterday, the Cabinet endorsed the Minimum Wage Committee's decision to increase the daily minimum wage by between Bt8 and Bt17 for low-skilled workers all over the country, with effect from New Year's Day, Watchara said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva rejected a light-hearted question suggesting that he was being viewed as Santa Claus giving presents to all groups of people.

"I don't think so. My shape doesn't permit that," he joked, adding that the increase in the minimum wage took place every year.

-- The Nation 2010-12-15

[SamritT]

So will inflation. Congratulation.

[brahmburgers]

Good thing for them it's not performance- or results-based salary, as many regular people have to deal with. If it were, the do-nothing legislators would get about 165 baht per day, which is what the average Burmese ditch digger gets in Bangkok, and the laborer does more to help the city than any legislators.

Here are the type of things legislators do:

>>> play golf a lot

>>> eat a lot

>>> give each other bottles of whiskey for any reason.

>>> attend each others' birthdays, and pay homage with more whiskey.

>>> slap each other on the back and laugh at how much money they're making on the side.

>>> sneak off to be with mia noi (lesser wives).

>>> miss meetings.

>>> go off to Europe with family, on complimentary Thai Airways 1st class tickets - allegedly to do something important. They might meet with Thaksin, or go skiing, eat a lot, drink more whiskey. When they return, the whole trip's expenses are reimbursed by taxpayers (plus a little extra, of course).

>>> play more golf

>>> avoid dealing with the important issues at hand.

.....and that's just a smattering of what our legislators do.

Edited December 15, 2010 by brahmburgers

[asiawatcher]

good thing for them it's not 'performance or results-based salary, as many others have to deal with. If it were, the do-nothing legislators would get about 165 baht per day, which is what the average Burmese ditch digger gets in Bangkok, and the laborer does more to help the city than any legislators.

Here are the type of things legislators do:

>>> play golf a lot

>>> eat a lot

>>> give each other bottles of whiskey for any reason.

>>> attend each others' birthdays, and pay homage with more whiskey.

>>> slap each other on the back and laugh at how much money they're making on the side.

>>> sneak off to be with mia noi (lesser wives).

>>> miss meetings.

>>> go off to Europe with family, on complimentary Thai Airways 1st class tickets - allegedly to do something important. They might meet with Thaksin, or go skiing, eat a lot, drink more whiskey. When they return, the whole trip's expenses are reimbursed by taxpayers (plus a little extra, of course).

>>> play more golf

>>> avoid dealing with the important issues at hand.

.....and that's just a smattering of what our legislators do.

Spot on - but you left out the networking for 'tea money' apart from boasting how much they are making! Do Thai legislators and politicians read our blogs? I hope so! What ever happened to Govt for the people by the people and in the interests of the people?

[chainarong]

With all the excitment in getting a 14% pay rise, maybe just maybe they forgot the rest of the workers of thailand, they sure could do with a pay raise as well.

[Thai at Heart]

Unless they are going to pay them 100,000 USD per year, I reckon this kind of thing should be means tested.

If yourself, wife or immediate family have more than 5mn baht in the bank or assets, you should get 1 baht per year salary. If you genuinely have nothing, you can have 200k per month, and government sponsored accomodation of up to 20 k per month in Bangkok. Everything else, sliding scale for the inbetweeners.

Might actually attract some decent people who understand PUBLIC service.

And to think that this follows about 2 days after the handwringing over the minimum wage.

Edited December 15, 2010 by Thai at Heart

[whybother]

They should be paid pro-rata for the days that they actually turn up.

[animatic]

They should be paid pro-rata for the days that they actually turn up.

That is a great idea!

No show no pay. end of story.

[brahmburgers]

They should be paid pro-rata for the days that they actually turn up.

That is a great idea!

No show no pay. end of story.

I agree, great idea, but it could never work in Thailand, as the excuses (by errant legislators) would flow forth faster than snot out of sick person's nose. And because any excuse is a good excuse, it all gets the ubiquitous 'mai pen rai' with a smile and a wai.

[SamritT]

Will Thailand be like Latin America of the 70's? Hyper inflation?